Electric switch



MmM, 1958 R. P. BRIDGES 2,825,774

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 11, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet l l ;5Tfi) I59 115 March 4, 1958 R. P. BRIDGES ELECTRIC SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 11, 1954 arch 4, W58 R. P. BRIDGES 'ELECTRIC SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sh e 5 Filed Aug. 11, 1954 arch 4, 1958 R. P. BRIDGES ELECTRIC SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. ll,- 1954 March 4, 3958 R. P. BRIDGES 2,825,774

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 11, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States ELECTRIC SWITCH Ronald P. Bridges, Centralia, Mo., assignor to A. B. Chance Company, Centraiia, M0,, a corporation of l Missouri Application August 11, 1954, Serial No. 449,053

12 Claims. (Cl. 200-48) This invention relates to electric switches of the swinging arm and rotary contact type, being an improvement in a class of switches such as shown in U. S. Patent 2,306,117.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a swinging arm and rotary contact switch adapted by reason of its inter-changeability of parts to be assembled as a normally horizontal side-break switch or as a center-break switch, either one of which is adapted to break in either of two directions, depending upon the mode of assembly; the provision of a switch of the class described, wherein the rotary contact is biased to normal open position to ensure a wide gap when the switch is open, but which when closed firmly entraps the switch arm and is arranged to prevent opening move ments due to magnetic or analogously operative forces; the provision of a switch of the class described, having means ensuring noncorroding rotary bearing contacts of low electrical resistance; and the provision of a switch of the class described which is economical to manufacture and convenient to assemble and align. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a side-break form of switch embodying my invention, shown in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing in solid lines a partially open arm position, and in dotted lines a completely open position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a center-break form of switch embodying the invention, parts being shown in section;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5, the solid lines showing a closed position and the fragmentary dotted lines an open position;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 2, some parts being omitted and others shown in elevation;

Fig. 8 is a bottom view of Fig. 7, certain bottom cover parts being removed;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 9-9 of Figs. 2 and 6, parts being omitted to show only such as exist on both switch forms;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail view of a switch arm, parts being shown in section;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged vertical and fragmentary cross section taken on line 11-11 of Figs. 1 and 5;

Patented Mar. 4, 1958 Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail plan of a control-lever plate;

Fig. 13 is a vertical section taken on line 13-13 of Fig. 12, parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of an adjustable link arm;

Fig. 15 is a vertical section taken on line 15-15 of Fig. 14, parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 16 is a vertical section taken on line 16-16 of Fig. 1, parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 17 is a horizontal section taken on line 17-17 of Figs. 1 and 5, parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 18 is a horizontal section taken on line 18-18 of Figs. 1 and 5 and showing an adjustable-sector stop piece;

Fig. 19 is a cross section taken on line 19-19 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 20 is a plan view on a reduced scale of a plate like that shown in Fig. 12 but omitting the control lever thereon;

Fig. 21 is a sectional view similar to the lower portions of Fig. 7 but showing a modification;

Fig. 22 is a horizontal section taken on line 22-22 of Fig. 21; and,

Fig. 23 is a view similar to Fig. 22, showing a reversed arrangement of certain parts from the positions shown in Fig. 22.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the draw-. ings.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1-4, which show the side-break form of the invention, there is diagrammatically shown at numeral 1 a supporting bracket for the switch parts to be described. At 3 is shown a stationary mount for a stationary insulator stack 5. At 7 is shown a rotary mount for an insulator stack 9. The insulator stacks 5 and 9 are indicated diagrammatically by dotted lines, inasmuch as any one of a number of one-piece insulators or stacked insulator assemblies may be supported on 3 and 7.

The rotary mount 7 is constituted by a bearing sleeve 11 (Fig. 11) attached to the support 1 by flange 2, on which are shouldered bearing bushings 13 for a'vertical rotary journal 15. The upper end of this journal 15 is constituted by a supporting pad 17. It is threaded at its. lower end to receive a castellated nut 21 locked by a cross pin 19. This is for the purpose of appropriately distancing the upper surface of the nut from a shoulder 23 below the pad so as to obtain an accurately aligned, but free-running fit of the journal 15 in the bushings 13.

Bolted to the pad 17 is a central circular web 25 of a toothed ring 27, which appears in greater detail in Figs. 12 and 13. It has radial teeth shown at 29, and it also has openings for the center-break form of the invention later to be described. Extending from the ring 27 is a lever arm 31, having an end bearing 33 and a downwardly projecting stop arm 35. Numeral 6 is applied to the entire member as shown in Figs. 12 and 13 and identified as a control-lever plate. Also bolted to the journal 15, above the web 25, is a bottom support 37 for the insulator stack '9.

As shown in Fig. 18, there is attached to the flange 2 an adjustable sector stop piece 39 having a vertical stop 41 adapted to be engaged by a stop on arm 31. The sector piece is angularly adjustable by a bolt-and-slot combination 43. An inner circular edge 45 of the sector 39 engages the bearing sleeve 11, so as circularly to guide the sector during angular adjustments.

At the top of the insulator stack 9 is a supporting assembly 47 for a tubular switch conductor arm or blade 49. This assembly 47 is also usedon the second form of the switch, to be described, and (Fig. 9) compriscsa threaded conductive (such as bronze) journal 51 at the ess 2a. htessiea, hsta aa s V 53 *njeans ofbolts slj Details 'oitheswitch a hm sh h tter t a han 2 14 whisk ha 30? s s qr sk m aqhhsstihs the journal with a gudgeon Threaded on the journal 51 and screwed tightly up against the neck 53 is a shoulder a seeaZ-t QQ I QF P hQitQ NQWMQWlii i i fiafi houl er 59 and a weather-guard skirt 61. At the lower end Ofisihq ig sal a l sth sadqt as sah t 3. o at ac men to. t appropriate Plst. q li hth s e se 91);- Ibi sup or t z ltl A s r having, be iist hqe Q1} 51 the s ppo t Q is pinned', as indicated at; V AP] R Z% sheunaqqhsiqe ire uch. s on line terminal t set twi e isshia s 6.9 or; r ce i hat. ha h wi ss mss is .1-, she; he. h t m nal 67 m ,E- nest e s imite o ham:

r h ads tisst ts ma achi e sha t r-ti is at sd s ast tae th re at e st than nio tion will b e required between it and the threagleclighhhal .541 ha ii ll iie ha ta ts h se w l h an clcctrical'contact. Bracket 67 carries a skirt 66;; 'lfhe witness at hts ii zstth lQl 5 s) th its etqnta ta et hat; a aq t hd sit m thane theta;

ift ire to reduce the electrical contact resistance. thtsa lsate itr s-P atte t tw hst sslt s ha h on a 7 o %P Em. 19 ,t he sqit a li t resistance; Into A H J ax motio h a Res s amtfl t et in f o relative turning, resilient washers 73 are eglp lgyedbe; tween nti 57 3- 3? a dt-ahsi; 5.1- nd .3: .13; th I sse iash s he s mpqssdz ish impregnated with 'a waterproof lubricant. These washers gdzesvestixeir ped bysk tts. i tmlt 6, Ihe washe .,.ai. l htlt a imate is; hsi lt hat yattathtsh nqsh tion of support 63; f j V In. O d i m tq e he l tt s lt ti t tt a sss tta n z hmsihh t 1 an .7- h is P o ded h 'atm ss: thsht shquh hF as. 16 an i hi h; ah s s. 2.; asssltst T 1 9 ii13Q 9 P i of, e her di t 'lhht st h br ise -ha. a t hs. a ns a st s c i 8 s 771, which with" respect to thematerial ot the journalfil is ia iysly pi hh g g he hre d se ta -sat i gw h iu dama e h r i. tends t n h a h he enta e m le nd emale hr ds hi s-washi am: tact by producing a; force directed. transyersely tp, the whim hai ss e hre V "In View of the. aboye, it will be seen that when the as iath tac 9 s 4 si d 0P. 1 a hs Qillllfl lever 31; there will be relative motion? between e htaa stza 51am 4 his iqcsuts at a mes Ha es Z1' ha is h nta Q'QhdhiQ -l f Mor o er, he he is ii. 33.. s h i shiu a h t-htqtsh sit b 22 h tias 0 v ht ah p shajtl hi i'sh z s iiis a ti hiqf hhz sfih an 6 2' w a h P 129 9 f'mta ihs' th n l or s sh sshtshf hat h 63: sto, wi e h ub w h a m: 2 '2; a h r qi tai Pla e. w i he po t n shown n. h s. hft sh h litir h h zsi a f h a 1 tqi he ia t ia qsitiony he. n? in at eshsd' o he ssht! a e hQ-W k l T 4hr ts-tub f t? h ins-in isa sdah saalt .7" e n; it t. scs hsf hs a n ng 8. fi hs ent r d, e. i s; Pi-O Q d w t it eh ssl hq$e1i a 2 eld. b pith 1 h hos h nst sielss ras shown at '93; The nose obviously may. be; locategl in i e Qt W .PQ. .i iQh. 80 a a t lssats e h ai 'ipiaa b v l Port s iii le i whit sh; upen m -ha hin QQY A L n tsh t I, wits s in sz wmen 7 ne 9 h n hi tam ula ss t sl. at. tsn s; mitt n- (such as gonna); brackt' 9,{ carr wire connectors 9] (see;

ea ar a hh tsaiv the s v ar n V (wea r EE SQE DQQ E h uljdet. .02.; has;

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' have analogous purposes, but the former are located on nti 'l l t srdss rs i p r e e h s a neck or elbow 107, attached to the upper end of the journal 99.

Around the lower end of the journal 99 the bracket is formed with a pocket; orcontaine g 109' which is nor-.

totally enclosed by a screw-attached sealing tgoyer lll. In t socket the h ade in ttna 9 a lug 113; Bolted to one side ofthe pocket 109is a container 115 on which is a socket 117 carryng a compression spring- 119;, pressing uponthelug; lslllein aidirection such that the j our nal Q2 is biased anticlockwise when viewed from the top as in Fig. 2. If it is desired to bias the journal clockwise, the container 115 may be loosened and turned over in position within the pocket 109, thus matin t e l fi' i fij fi s-em; e opposite dir ct i n s event, the jq al 99., will; lggqbiased lctoekwisc, ,ai

i i-86 a et he t iiz h st 2;, Aston Port n Hm:-

the spring container 115 limits the movement oftherlug 1: B45? s isiiti s 9 st l s? of. id; hiases his PQ itiQh f ahtis h wh shisahQ t-., V H hr shsasemsht a thelse.- sp ii st ta h s t s '99 li hil lqfi m ths L1 2 cr sswise f mutual; 9%:hnmeves hQL QQUi I-IQk- QQM ds; and, tho of; member; 95; Thuslim s net a thou h. t. qu diheasld -ionally tdss t V a a n F s 2 i ow at hisditicatipn ohm: lmllfih and; st c ur he u al; 2 QBQRQQkQh lfi ike 1111 t. s to i sie s qods that ei he he-comm nce ShQWQQ E hat h wn s-. used; Figs. 21-23 show switch-closed; positions;

h nato gs? .1-2.3 Packe 29k benea h; th b a et. assist-wolf, c a s 'mg, he ower; cndzofsthe jou al g-istorm d w Z g-shapc il alllkwhicht engages. with a: Win haped penihstzllre xa platram located in the pg 1;

QQ QI, 2.512: ha l l ,ZLQZ h ned-with; 325K112: u fa ,7 1 ,hz n Si. s-th-hpsht esi-tioh en a es a limitinmstop also provided with g g-.5.

surface 213. The plate 207 is hi a si cticns. Z15 hishl-ensase eamn s iont nsing 1] s ats t n: he; no e st. .3.1, 1 9 bsh a turning moment'on the plate and on the journal;. 9jl The turning moment n,the. witsh-ensn nsz' irestie mhmnehihafiites tmit th plate in Fig; 23. Thefsprings 217 are aI el cated as i s e m s-0 7 0that;the ia theihr t rn ng:mcme w is the reverse of that shown in Fig. 22; This causgisgthe s p, urfa e, r lt QF ngase. ston-lllin the go keggol .t th rtieth 91 is by one set' o'f'bo'lts to base 137;: of allug 1;

reduced section; 1417 when theswitehjsppen.

- Operation ofthe alternative form shown in Figs gljg;

c tipn asseinbly 13% a e d. ,v r be; mans justably to tension the clips i be, n ted, hat: assemb y center line-qtinsulgi tgirstack;

4.5; a e her; Q w ncssi lepositipnx th iist a s etsh yjsu ht asshcwn in Fig- .161-

al de n te i sa a s 9 I 9i hown. hr e-Q 8;; V

kHz-maybe; V

a drht df zp assa yta.

9 maxi a h u ev n hengck aahlaasg hnwn 7 As shown in Fig. 1, an optional Weather protective hood 149 is employed over the swinging assembly 99, 107, 133. This hood includes an entry 150 for the swinging end 89 of the switch arm 49. There is also provided a stationary arcing horn 151, attached to the bracket 95. This loops over the hood 149 (Fig. 4) and is provided with a sloping portion 153 and a step 155. Anchored to the arm 49 at 157 is a pair of spring arcing horn wires 159, joined at a clamp 161. One of these wires 159 extends to lie behind the step 155 when the switch is closed (Figs. 1, 2

and 4). When the switch is opened, the extending wire 159 wipes from behind the step 155, to maintain contact as the arm 49 moves from the clip assembly 133 (Fig. 3; solid lines). Upon further movement, the extending wire 3.59 snaps from behind the step 155, at first drawing and then breaking the are as the arm swings from the solidline position shown in Fig. 3 to the dotted-line position.

Operation of the first form of the invention is as follows:

Motion is applied to the switch by attaching a suitable operating link to the bearing 33 of the arm 31. Thus the switch may be independently operated or gangoperated with similar switches from a suitable switchoperated linkage (not shown). Upon moving the lever 31 clockwise from the Fig. 1 position, the arm 49 moves through the solid-line position of Fig. 3 to the dotted-line position. In doing so, its end adjacent 89 swings out from the socket formed by the spring clip assembly 133 in which it was telescopically and spring held. The bevel portion 93 of nose 89 is forward, relative to the opening movement, thus providing for rapid clearance between the arm and the clips. Outward movement of the arm moves the clips to the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 3, wherein they are held by action of the spring 119. The concomitant separating action of the arcing horns 159 and 151 has been described.

To reclose the switch, the lever 31 is moved anticlockwise, whereupon the arm 49 moves from the dottedline position shown in Fig. 3 through the solid-line position, after which its end adjacent 89 moves into the clip assembly 133 until the Fig. 2 coaxial telescoped position is reached. concomitantly, the end of the springing arcing horn 159 rides up the ramp 153 of horn 151 until it settles behind the step 155, which prepares the horns for later reopening action. Any forces involved in the closing movement, tending to cant the screw journals in 99 (Fig. 7) and 51 (Fig. 9), only enhance the contact pressures of the helical threads of these journals. The bevel 94 at the end of arm 49 allows easy entry into the socket-type contact clip assembly 133. The straight portion 96 aids in preventing the arm from passing the center-line position, due to fiat engagement of the portion 96 with the contact assembly 133. Any resulting wedging action in the threads further improves the contact pressure. through the rotary journals is minimized, particularly so in view of the silver-plating on the threads and their large areas of helicoidal engagement. The slight axial motions of the journals 51 and 99 upon rotation do not interfere with the proper engagement between the switch arm end and the clip assembly 133. The closed position of the switch (Fig. 2) is determined primarily by engagement between the depending stop arm 35 on lever 31 and the upstanding stop 41 on the properly adjusted sector piece 39. Since, when the switch is closed, the center lines of the arm 49, clip assembly 133 and screw jour nals 99 are all coplanar, the axial force of the field surrounding the arm 49 has no effective moment arm around the center lines of the journals 51 and 99 which might cause opening movements. In fact, any such magnetic reaction only improves electrical contact between the male and female threads associated with the journals 51 and 99. This is because any canting movements of the journals around axes perpendicular to their center lines tend to wedge the threads tighter, thus increasing contact Hence the contact resistance against current flow 6 pressure and lowering contact resistance when most needed.

It will be understood that the bracket 67 is nonrotary by reason of attachment to suitable line terminal parts (not shown). Bracket is stationary because of its attachment to the stationary insulator stack 5.

If it is desired to have the switch open to the other side (opposite to the opening shown in Fig. 3), it is necessary only appropriately to change the position of the spring container and stop 121 (Figs. 7 and 8) and to limit the motion of the stop 35 by stop 41 upon clockwise instead of anticlockwise movement of the lever 31. In this event the position of the nose 89 on the end of the arm 49 should be turned over 180. Also, the position of the weather hood 149 and the arcing horn 151 should be reversed relative to the Fig. 4 position.

The alternative center-break form of the invention is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and others to be mentioned. Like numerals designate like parts. Those parts which are different are given new numbers. In this case a rotary mount 7, such as shown in Fig. 11, is again used as a rotary support for each insulator stack 5 and 9 on the base 1. Hoewver, the mount 7 for stack 9 does not carry the sector stop plate 39 of Fig. 18. Moreover, instead of the supporting pad 17 carrying a controllever plate 6 such as shown in Fig. 12, it carries a ring member 163, such as shown in Fig. 20. This member 163 is similar to 6 but does not carry a lever such as 31. However, an adjustable link arm 165 is provided on this ring member 163. Such a link arm is shown in Figs. 14 and 15. This link arm 165 has a sector portion 167 with sector slots 169 and radial teeth 171. It also has an arm 173 at the end of which is an end bearing 175. Thus the teeth of the link arm 165 may be interdigitated with the teeth 29 of the ring member 163, being adjusted in any desired angular position and held by bolts passing through the sector slots 169.

The rotary mount 7 for the insulator stack 5 is provided with a sector stop 39 such as shown in Fig. 18 to provide a stop 41. This is engaged by stop arm 35 on control-lever plate member 6, such as shown in Fig. 12'. This plate 6 is carried between the rotary support 7 and the insulator stack 5. In addition, an adjustable link arm 165 (Figs. 14 and 15) is adjustably attached to the control-lever member 6. A cross link 177 is bolted in sleeves 179, which in turn are pinned to the link arms 165. The link arms 165 are appropriately angularly adjusted, so as properly to phase the desired relative angular positions of the insulator stacks 5 and 9. Supporting assembly arrangements 47 are used at the tops of the stacks 5 and 9, both of which are of the construction shown in Fig. 9, thus providing for rotation relative to the line wire terminal brackets 67 which carry the wire connectors 71. Attached to the assembly 47 on stack 9 is a switch arm 56, which is like switch arm 49 except that it is shorter. Attached to the gudgeon 55 of assembly 47 on stack 5 is a sleeve 179. At the outer end of the sleeve is a clip assembly 181, which is like that shown in Fig. 7 except that it is attached to a gudgeon 180. This gudgeon is pinned to sleeve 179. This arrangement is responsible for the center 'break characteristics of the alternative form of the invention.

Operation of the alternative form is as follows, referring to Figs. 5 and 6, wherein the switch is shown in closed position with the stop arm 35 against stop 41:

By attaching an operating linkage to the end hearing 33 of the lever 31, the insulator stack 5 may be turned anticlockwise (Fig. 6) through 90". This, through action of the cross link 177, turns the stack 9 also through approximately 90, thus opening the cir cuit. This oppositely angles each of the members 179 and 50 through approximately 90 each, so that they become more or less parallel. The operation withdraws the end of arm 50 from its telescopic position in the ing means at the point where said male threads emerge from said female threads.

- 10. In an electrical switch, a rotatable switch contact means made according to claim 9, including a skirt extending from said journal and surrounding said sealing means and extending in water-deflecting position over a portion of said line terminal.

11. An electric switch comprising a swinging arm, a swinging contact clip assembly adapted to be engaged by and to swing with the switch arm, a journal, a bracket having a bearing in which the journal is borne in reference to an axis of swing, said clip assembly being attached to the jornal, lug means extending from said journal, spring means acting upon said lug means to bias said clip assembly to a disengaged position, and stop means engageable by said lug means adapted to predetermine said disengaged position.

12. An electric switch comprising a swinging switch arm, a swinging contact clip assembly adapted to be engaged by and to swing with the switch arm, a journal, a bracket having a bearing in which the journal is rotatable in reference to an axis of swing, said clip assembly being attached to the journal, a stop member having a reversible driving connection with said journal, spring means acting upon said stop member to bias said clip assembly to a disengaged position, and stop means engageable by said stop member to predetermine said disengaged position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N00 2,825,774 March .4, l958 Ronald P Bridges It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Let oars Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 6, line 23, for "Hoewver" read w However column 8, line 50, for "stationary elements line terminal means read w stationary line terminal elements column 9, line 13, for ",jornal" read as journal Signed and sealed this 22nd day of April 1958 (SEAL) Attest:

KARL Ho AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

